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Feline Obesity Article
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Knowing What Obesity Really Is
from:A wise man once said that a person couldn’t battle an enemy and win unless the person knows the enemy well. This sound advice could also apply to an increasingly important health condition known as obesity.
As with most subjects, it is best to begin by defining the term and condition we are interested in. The dictionary definition of obesity states that it is simply “increased body weight due to excessive accumulation of fat.” Even knowing that much can help those who are concerned about the condition. But what is fat, the thing we have too much of?
Fat, or adipose tissue in animals, is a form of glycerol and fatty acid in a soft, semisolid state. How much fat a person carries on their body is generally determined by how much of the substance is eaten in the food or how much of the food we eat converts to fat. For example, animals eat carbohydrates and this is easily converted to fat. (Carbohydrates are compounds such as sugars and starches). When this process results in an amount of fat that is beyond what doctors consider average, obesity results.
An encyclopedia definition expands what we need to know about obesity by noting that humans and other mammals have a natural energy reserve stored in the fatty tissue. But this condition can increase to the point where it becomes a health concern. Basically, we need a certain amount of fat as stored energy and for insulating the body. But too much fat can lead to serious health problems.
The word “obesity” comes from the Latin “obesus,” which generally meant stout, fat or plump. It is interesting to find that if we go back even further, the Latin word comes from “edere,” which means, “to eat.” This connection between eating, stored energy and fat is at the core of medical studies on obesity. According to medical literature, obesity is not only a problem for an individual but it is increasingly viewed as a serious public health concern. Excessive body weight in humans can lead to problems with the heart and with blood circulation. It can also play a part in some types of diabetes and may contribute to osteoarthritis.
Some cultures in the past have looked on plumpness as attractive. Obesity, in some cultures, was also connected to fertility in females. Historians believe these beliefs may stem from heavier women being able to survive famine and nurse children more easily than thinner women. Even today, many societies around the world see a larger, well-fed person as a symbol of financial success. However, most cultures today have come to understand how obesity can negatively affect health. The World Health Organization notes that a person is obese if there is accumulation of fatty tissue more than two times the standard. Having some guidelines can help individuals and medical personnel deal with this growing health risk.
Feline Obesity News
Fat cat's fate: Meow, the 39-pound feline, dies of lung failure - Los Angeles Times
 ABC News | Fat cat's fate: Meow, the 39-pound feline, dies of lung failure Los Angeles Times By Rene Lynch Meow, the fat cat whose 39-pound girth helped raise awareness about obesity in pets, has died of lung failure. The orange-and-white tabby was turned in to the Santa Fe, NM, animal shelter last month and quickly made international ... Meow the 39-pound cat dies Famed Obese New Mexico Cat 'Meow' Dies Morbidly obese cat in New Mexico dies unexpectedly |
Obese Cat, Meow, Dies Suddenly - Global Animal
 Global Animal | Obese Cat, Meow, Dies Suddenly Global Animal (ANIMAL NEWS) Meow, the 39-pound cat surrendered to a New Mexico animal shelter, passed away over the weekend from complications with his weight. The charming orange-and-white tabby, who was a guest on the TODAY Show, developed sudden respiratory ... We All Can Learn A Little from Meow |
Meow the 17 kilogram fat cat dies - of obesity - Herald Sun
 NEWS.com.au | Meow the 17 kilogram fat cat dies - of obesity Herald Sun Obesity is not something to be ignored.' Super Fat Cat When he was alive, Meow was not the fattest cat out there. That record belongs to Himmy, a tabby from Australia that weighed almost 21kg. The shelter said Guinness World Records has since stopped ... Meow the 18 kilogram fat cat dies - of obesity Fat cat dies of respiratory distress Meow the 39-pound cat dies |
The biggest Meowser: Fat cat weighs 40 lbs - New York Daily News
 New York Daily News | The biggest Meowser: Fat cat weighs 40 lbs New York Daily News "The thing with this cat is when you look at it, certainly it's obese. You see that. But it's a sweet looking cat. His face is very sweet. It's just incredibly fat," shelter spokesman Ben Swan said Friday. Meow has been placed with a foster family. |
Pet Pointers: Fat cats - YNN, Your News Now
 YNN, Your News Now | Pet Pointers: Fat cats YNN, Your News Now Recently the world's heaviest house cat, 39-pound Meow, died from pulmonary failure, and he was only two years old. It may come as no surprise that obesity is a growing problem for American cats. We may even be contributing to this problem without ... |
FDA: Purina cat food recalled - Examiner.com
FDA: Purina cat food recalled Examiner.com According to Suzi Springsteen-Marks of the City of Sacramento Front Street Shelter, it is“ a prescription food, available only through veterinarians, for management of feline obesity”. The City shelter uses Science Diet pet foods, so they are not ... |
Pet Obesity: A Huge Problem - VetPracticeNews.com
Pet Obesity: A Huge Problem VetPracticeNews.com By the Numbers The Association for Pet Obesity Prevention found feline obesity rates of 17.8 percent, or 15.7 million animals, and an additional 35 million overweight cats. Dogs did better, with 9.6 percent, or 7.2 million, classified as obese and 26 ... |